In 2012 the editor of LFW predicted that the Olympics would in no way encourage our young to get out there and a row a boat or throw some spears about the place.
He was right.
Playing sport is in decline, pizza and Coke sales are up and there are more corns on peoples’ backsides from sitting down too much than ever before!
So much for all the hype and all that nobbling of the taxpayer by self-serving, executive gravy train passengers and their sporty flunkies!
LFW
There’s still a 70.8% pass rate?
And are not exams supposed to be hard?
There are of course the mitigating circumstances for those who feel hard done by, in that these days students are allowed to take their text books into the exam room and a large percentage of degree awards is based on course work.
In 1970 there were 621,000 students in Higher Education, now there are 2.5 million plus. Elitist back in 1970? Perhaps, but then graduates didn’t generally end up behind tills and serving beverages in coffee shops.
One cannot help but wonder, how school pupils and students would cope with the ruthless rigour of academic days gone by?
Days when ’empathy’ didn’t exist and if one failed?
Tough.
LFW
Leanne Wood says:
“People across Wales appreciate the quality of output that S4C currently provides.”
Really? That’s why it has less than 1% of viewing figures.
“S4C has been a real success story within the Welsh economy.”
Has it? There is no net gain for the £74m pa S4C receives from license fee payers – £2.2bn since 1982. The ‘value added’ figures provided by S4C’s press office is based upon a Cardiff research organisation whose 7 out of 9 staff are Welsh speakers and which mainly does business with Welsh public sector bodies.
In other words, it relies on Welsh Labour government patronage.
“It would be unacceptable if public service broadcasting in Welsh falls short of that provided in English.”
The only difference being that a mere 18% of people in Wales speak Welsh and even this percentage is suspect as many who claim to be Welsh speakers adopt the vernacular ‘Wenglish’ ie a combination of Welsh and English.
Also note that out of this figure, only 4% can read and write the language.
“This is a perfect example of what happens when broadcasting for Wales is left in London’s hands – (in respect of cuts). Plaid Cymru wants to see powers and responsibility for broadcasting devolved to Wales.”
If broadcasting was devolved to Wales and nationalist Plaid got their hands on it, then it really would be taken back to an R S Thomas, Welsh speaking bucolic nirvana, where everyone shepherded sheep during the day and slept on straw beds at night.
London isn’t to blame for the ills of Wales.
Devolution is.
The Eistedford is off, celebrating ‘Welsh culture’.
LFW has always been somewhat challenged by this notion of Welsh cultural uniqueness because as far as it can observe, the only difference between English culture and Welsh culture is that the latter tends toward druidical nostalgia, white (and blue) robes ‘an all, and the wearing of tall, pointed black hats from time to time.
Nothing like diversity is there?
LFW
PS There is of course laverbread, lamb stew and the odd corned beef pastie but LFW is not entirely sure how any of these fit into a great, occidental cultural diaspora.
Unless of course there is a Iolo ap Ramsay out there who is about to win a few Michelin Stars?
What with Carwyn’s ‘Taffy Talk Talk’ blunder at a call centre costing £600,000 of taxpayers’ money last week, now the First Minister’s ‘Visit Wales’ initiative (a Welsh government department), is in the firing line – .
“Uninspiring” and “Unimaginative” say Welsh businesses about ‘Visit Wales’.
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies, said that a “shift in culture” would boost creativity.
He said:
“Ultimately, Welsh tourism needs a shift in culture, with the industry itself taking the lead.
“You won’t find too many businesses in Wales who believe that politicians are the best people to drive tourism forward, and an injection of entrepreneurial spirit would boost innovation and creativity – particularly with the dire marketing we have seen in recent years.
“We want to put power back in the hands of Welsh businesses and communities, and this announcement is part of a broader Welsh Conservative drive to de-centralise power and cut Welsh Government down to size.”
Well, Carwyn’s Carriers at Cardiff Airport, Carwyn’s Cruisers in Cardiff Bay, Carwyn’s ‘Taffy’s Talk Talk Communications Company’, have all hit the skids, so no wonder Carwyn’s ‘Visit Wales’ is in trouble?
This is what happens when you let rank amateurs loose on commercial enterprise.
Failure, failure, failure and the taxpayer gets screwed every time!
The sooner a Welsh government starts to recruit some serious outside talent, instead of relying on this hopeless mantra of ‘Wales for the Welsh’ nonsense, the better.
The pool of talent in Wales is small and even this is deflated with mediocrity.
LFW
The other day whilst talking with a married gay friend, he mentioned his husband, so I asked, ‘well….. if he’s your husband what does that make you? After all, you can’t have two husbands in a marriage or for that matter two wives, can you?’
‘Now you mention it….,’ he replied.’ I think it’s time for that drink, don’t you?’
21st century sexuality, straight forward it is certainly not!
I felt it was time for some light humour, after all the political social media’s obsessive thrashing of Corbyn’s Progress is becoming nauseatingly vain if nothing else and let’s face it, most people in this country couldn’t give a damn anyway.
The Editor
lettersfromwalesuncut.com 